The red List of threatened species

There are 1 983 endangered species among the 16 119 classified as threatened over the 44 838 living species of the planet, according to the ranking made by international scientists.
Today, there are 784 extinct species, and 65 are still there thanks to their being captive. The extinction rate is thus from 100 to 1000 times above average, because, most of all, of the impact of human activities.
"During our life, hundredth of species could disappear because of our very actions, which constitutes a dreadful warning sign on the health of the ecosystems where they live" says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Head director of the IUCN, who has just published during the World Congress of Nature of Barcelona (Spain) this very alarming red list, on October 6th.

This is a way for international scientists to warn us. It is a genuine review lead by the experts of the survival commission of the IUCN which deals with thousands of species and subspecies. It represents, according to Holly Dublin, the president of this commission,
the "international golden norm" to follow properly the status of
safeguard in the whole wide world. This latest red list of October 2008 (1) is, among others, the most comprehensive evaluation of the mammals of the planet marking 3,5 billion years of evolution. It confirms the crisis. One species out of four could disappear, that is 11 141 species over the 5487 existing mammals !

It answers essential questions for everyone such as:
To what extent a specified species is threatened?
By what?
How many endangered species are there in a precise area of the world?
How many species did disappear?

With the system of the red list of the IUCN, each species or subspecies is classified into one of the following categories :
EX - Extinct, EW - Extinct in the Wild, CR - Critically Endangered,
EN - Endangered, VU - Vulnerable, LR/cd - Lower Risk/conservation dependent, NT - Near Threatened (includes LR/nt - Lower Risk/near threatened), DD - Data Deficient, LC - Least Concern (includes LR/lc - Lower Risk, least concern).

This classification is made throughout five criterions that constitute the core of the system : decline rate, total population, area of occurrence, area of occupation, degree of population and
clustering of the repartition.
It is in order to warn the international community and public opinion that the IUCN published a list of endangered mammals, with the help of the different ecological organisations. It is not about unknown animals or pseudo monsters living in remote areas. It is about mammals, just like mankind! Our cousins, "our friends", as it is often said. We have to take care of them very quickly.

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is critically endangered. There are between 84 and 143 adults and it is still declining because of the lack of its essential prey, the European rabbit, which is also threatened.
The Père David's dear (Elaphurus davidianus) is extinct in the wild. It come from China, and its reintegration in the wild is considered because the dears living in captivity managed to reproduce.
The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is one of the 450 endangered species. A decline of more of 60% of its world population in the last decade got it from "least concern" to
"endangered".
The Fishing cat of South Eastern Asia (Prionailurus viverrinus) is endangered as well. It is because of the destruction of its habitat in wet areas. Alike is the Caspian seal (Pusa caspica), the population of which diminished of 90% in the last century because of non-sustainable hunting.
The Grey-Faced Sengi (Rhynchocyon udzungwensis) is "Vulnerable". It was discovered this year in two very flammable forests of the mounts Udzungwa in Tanzania.
It is thus the destruction of their habitats that affect almost half of the mammals of the planet. This is a very strong phenomenon in Central and Southern America, In Eastern and Central Africa, in Madagascar and in Southern and South-Eastern Asia. Notwithstanding excessive out takings - following illegal goals - that contribute to the disappearance of great mammals, in South-Eastern Asia, or in certain regions of Africa and South America. Not to mention wars…

"The more we wait, the more it will cost us to prevent species from disappearing in the future" pinpoints Jane Smart, Head director of the Program of Species of the IUCN. "Currently, we know which species are threatened, what those threats are, and where they are: There are no excuses left for us to be passive. And as soon as you start being active, excellent news come along : 5% of species recovered thanks to harmonised operations of
safeguard. The Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) turned from "extinct in the wild" to "endangered" after a successful reintegration in the Fishland Wildlife Service of the United States, in eight states of Western America and in Mexico between 1991 and 2008 !
Along with that, the Wild Horse (Equus ferus) turned from "extinct in the wild " to "critically endangered" because the current growth of important population of Austral and Eastern Africa is compensating the possible decline of other territories.

Moreover, other issues linked to the History of mankind exist. The introduction of species has always played a major part as regards the production of food or the pollination of the cultures and the biological control of the insects which devastate the crops.
Today, we must realise that the species that were introduced got overwhelming and put indigenous ecosystems in jeopardy.
Alongside, modern transportation has abolished the natural bio-geographical borders, making species - parasites, pathogens - move in new habitats in which they multiply.
The issue is of a major importance in the islands where the species and ecosystems which have evolved in total isolation are, more than anywhere, vulnerable to these predators. It is now admitted that it is one of the most serious threats for the sake of Mankind, of the economy, and of the environment in areas that are usually very poor.

"To have an influence on the societies of the whole wide world, to encourage them and help them so that they keep the integrity and the diversity of nature, and make sure that any use of natural resources is fair and ecologically sustainable". This is the goal of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is considered as the major worldwide NGO dedicated to a goal. It is located in Gland, near Geneva (Switzerland).

It was created in 1948 by a small group of hardcore defenders of nature. It is based on the fact that the sake of Mankind is interlinked with the health of the environment (Declaration of Fontainebleau). Its obvious strength lies within the number, the diversity, the skills and the actions of its 1104 members : 84 states, 111 public bodies, 874 national and international NGOs and 35 affiliated, present in 147 countries working for sustainability.
The IUCN often helps government in the elaboration of laws and policies, by providing them with trustable tools. It supports international conventions, the bodies of the UN, companies and the local communities in their quest for proper practices. Thanks to the force committed, it leads the progress of the safeguard of nature aiming at sustainable development. As a consequence, it manages everywhere thousands of field projects, throughout the mobilization of the bodies offering the resources, the formation and the follow-up of the results.
The Union also intervenes as a consultative and referent body for the World Heritage committee for the study of the introduction of natural sites in the World Heritage list, along with the evaluation of the state of their conservation.

It was at the origin, this year, of a new tool, the red list index (sampled approach), or SRLI, which will allow us to get a comprehensive overall review of the safeguard of the species
of the planet, alike, in a way, a survey of voters which enables to know the trend of an election. In the future, the SRLI will also classify other less known groups such as coleopterons, molluscs, fungus, lichens, and a certain number of vegetal species.

The congress of Barcelona focused on a program that sounds like a creed : "build a sustainable future" ! It will start in between 2009 and 2012.
The conservation of biodiversity is central in it, and it articulates in four thematic areas :
1. The integration of the considerations and possibilities linked to biodiversity In the political world and the actions relative to climate change.
2. The creation of energetic systems which are ecologically sustainable, fair, and efficient.
3. The improvement of the means of existence, the reduction of poverty and vulnerability, and the reinforcement of human and environmental security throughout a sustainable management of resources.
4. The integration of the values of conservation of the ecosystems in the economic policies, finances and markets.

The loss of biological diversity is one of the most urgent crisis on a worldwide level, and the condition of resources a big part of human life is based on worries more and more searches.
In each of the areas revealed by the IUCN in its congress, there is the will to help he community to make the strategic choices that are the most relevant, in correlation with active and different partners. It contributes to the progress of conservation and biodiversity alongside worldwide policy, most precisely the objectives of the millennium for development, as defined in 2000 by the UN.
The first "climatic" part of its action : a management tool to cope with projects about the means of sustainable existence and the handling of the environment has just been created : it is called CRISTAL (Community-based Risk Screening Tool - Adaptation and Livelihoods).
At the heart of the matter, the reefs of the coral, which are amongst the most threatened submarine ecosystems because of climate change, along with their population which lives and earns a living thanks to it. An initiative, called " The reefs of the coral and means of existence", in partnership with the UNEP, is being established in Southern Asia.
Another project, "Mangroves for the future", focuses on the action and the investment in the safeguard of the ecosystems standing for the essential substructure for the sustainable development of the littoral and the protection of its populations (3)
There are many partners with the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP), which started in 1997. Since then, scientists, economists, jurists, sociologists, conservation specialists and
resources managers have been working together to solve the urgent problem of the negative effects of Invasive species, which is a genuine threat for the insular and worldwide biological
diversity.
The creed of the IUCN is necessary, more than ever : "A fair world which magnifies and saves nature". We need to fully understand it, as we are the inhabitants of the world, as we can use our influence on governance, whether it be on a regional or worldwide level.
May 11th was chosen as the "day for endangered species" by the Congress of the United-States in order to encourage Americans to be more aware. Shouldn't we follow up to that initiative and keep a wide open eye on our planet. This way, it will offer a more sustainable future.